


Zombie Boy (A Will Byers/Dustill fanfic)

by Digitalmonstrosity



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Bisexual Dustin Henderson, Brotherly Steve Harrington & Dustin Henderson, Coma, Curious Eleven | Jane Hopper, Electricity, Episode: s02e08 The Mind Flayer, Gay Will Byers, M/M, Mike Wheeler Being an Asshole, Needles, Possession, Sad Will Byers, Telekinesis, Telepathy, The Upside Down, Vines, Vomiting, Will Byers & Mike Wheeler Fight
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-23 09:29:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20006065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Digitalmonstrosity/pseuds/Digitalmonstrosity
Summary: Will Byers, an UDS, has been living quietly for a while now. Hopper and Joyce got together and now he's got a telekinetic sister. Between having a sister who always changes the channel when it's HIS turn and having a biological father who'd most likely sell him to someone for a sandwich, he's doing pretty good. Minus the questioning of his sexuality that has finally had time to creep into his mind. It's whatever, though. It's whatever. He's happy, his family's happy and his friends. So what happens now to take that all away. (Yes in the title, I meant to write 'Dustill'. Also, chapter one has unfortunately disappeared, so when Will referres to how he wanted El to stop in in the 1st paragraph, he's talking about El playing a news broadcast on the AV club's radio about a gay couple who were beaten on the streets. )





	1. Chapter 1: b r e a k

**Author's Note:**

> [REPUBLISH CUZ I ACCIDENTALLY DELETED THE OTHER ONE]
> 
> WARNING - VOMIT, VIOLENCE AND RACIST/HOMOPHIBIC SLURS IN THIS CHAPTER. Please skip this chapter if you are easily upsetted by these things.

Will lays on the couch solemnly. He doesn't know why, he's finally got what he seems to be lacking the most now-a-days. Alone time. His thoughts, worries and questions manage to snap the bliss that was the ignorance in his mind. With it, the recording this afternoon sticks to his memory. He _knows_ El did that on purpose. Maybe she thought hearing about more _people like him_ would make Will feel less isolated.

She was wrong.

Will feels the sickness bubble in his gut then fuse to his chest. For a second, he feels like he's getting motion sickness from the wizzing many frightening outcomes of his sexuality. He's not scared of much anymore, but he can genuinely say he'd be terrified if he lost the people he love. And as quick as it formed, his sickness dissipated when he heard his mother's voice with the poor opening.

"Oh Will, I'm sorry I left you along for so long." She trudges towards him, exhaustion clear in her heavy footsteps. She plants an exaggeratedly long smack of he lips on Will's forehead. With a seconds pass, his face lights up with embrassment. His mother ruffles his bowl-cut hair and he breaks into a fit of giggles. 

After she spends a while fixing some early tea - and profusely declining Will's attempts to help- she cuddles next to him on the sofa. Now he remembers that his lacks of alone time was never fully involuntary. Because he loves his family, and he'll do anything to make them feel loved too. He smiles to himself, curled up safe in Joyce's arms and warmth.

...

Everyone's back home now. He's across the bed from El, teaching her to play snakes and ladders, when Jonathan comes in.

"Oh, Will, El, we gotta get ready." The elder notices. The younger gives a nod of confirmation whilst holding back the urge to _'ooooooh'_ at his big brother's crystal clear attempt to look good for Nancy. 

...

Will swings his tiny legs out of the car and bounces onto the ground. His brother, mom and Hopper will be out for around a week, so he's having a sleep over with the party. It'll be fun. At least that's what he thought, until he saw a certain someone leave out of the opposing car. 

_Steve Harrington. Ew._

He fumbles like an idiot around the blurs of kids speeding by him. He ignores his distate of the man as a boy with a trucker-baseball-cap came bounding towards him. 

"Byers!" Dustin beams at Will. The boy shakes his head, half out of playfulness and the other to hide his face dusted with red. Dust swings his arm around the thin crook of Will's neck and groups togethers the party. Everyone greets each other and make jokes with one another. Maxine approaches him and sticks out a confident hand to Will. He hesitantly returns the gesture. He barely remembers the girl and whenever she joined the party. Still, he let's his hand join hers.

During the chatter cluster, he sees his poor brother being tortured by Steve's antics. He can't hear them, but he can just imagine the preppy idiotic stuff coining out of Steve's mouth. Apparently, he's in the party now too. Whoever made that decision clearly has it out for Will. Besides, the group was made for outcasts. Not generic, no personality, super insecure and never-had-it-rough guys.

"He's awesome, right?" Dustin comments. Shoot, he was caught staring. The young Byers swallows his non-existent pride and provides a painful gesture of agreement.

I _hate Steve,_ Will thinks to himself whilst walking up the path to the Mayfeild's.  
...

The door opens, and just about he's about to go in a pair of hands land on his shoulders and spin him around. It's Jonathan, kneeling down to Will's level. Asking about medicine, pills and most importantly: _don't_ _go out_ _by yourself_ _._ Will nods- absent-minded- as him and Eleven hug their older brother. Jonathan ruffles El's hair before waving and retreating into his car.

  
Will heads inside as Dustin ushers him behind everyone. As if he wanted Will to be hidden. He didn't get it, but he didn't mind either. As he stepped inside and dried his boots, he lookes up, seeing a tall, dirty-blonde guy above him. He raises an eyebrow at the kid when he meets Byers' gaze. Will softly holds out his hand for a hand shake and greets,

" Hello, sir, are you Maxine's brother?" He seems to have caught the undivded attention of room, other than El, for some reason. Maxine's brother eyed him a bit more, and Mike looks like he's about to pounce on someone when:

"Hey, lil guy. Yeah, guess I am. Name's Billy Hargrove." He large, coarse hands fondle Will's baby ones whilst the shake hands playfully. Billy silently returns to what Will's gonna guess is him room, afterwards.

The small boy turns to his friends, who are all very awkward out of nowhere now. They're all mumbling and stuff. Will queries about what's wrong.

"You need to be careful about him, kid. He's not the kindest at times. Steve slowly replies, and Will wants to scream and call him out on all his hypocrisy, but he can't. Especially since everyone else is agreeing with him to, even Maxine, so the brunet shrugs and the party congregates in what he assumes is Maxine's room.

...

"What do you mean you didn't bring the set?" Mike exclaims.

"You said you were!" Lucas retorts.

"No I didn't!" Mike's face oozes with embarrassment from the claim.

"Yeah, you did." Steve interrupts, giving Mike a sly smirk. Wheeler huffs and slides down the wall to the floor, sulking. The small boy gave him a rub on his calf.

"It's probably for the best. OH! I KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO!" Maxine bellows. Everyone, except Will and Lucas, gave her a disgruntled glare.

"Calm down, sour patches. I was just thinking that we should use the night to mess with Billy!" Maxine proclaims likes it's the best plan ever. Mike, Dusty and El look intrigued. Steve and Lucas look frightened. Will's just utterly confused as always.

"Oh, no no no. We are not pissing him off." Steve sternly speaks up.

" You're boring! C'mon, we've got El! She'll back us up, right." Maxine says nudging Eleven. The telekenetic girl gives her look that says _I will_?

"Steve, don't you think he deserves it, a bit?" Dustin bargains. Steve still stubbornly declines. Not very surprisingly, the others, minus Lucas, persist.

"He'll kill us." Lucas hisses, fiddling with his camo headband. Will pretends he didn't hear that as to protect whatever their plan is of not telling Will anything about this guy.

"Not if he doesn't know it's us! He's gotten a little nicer since then, anyway." Maxine points to Will as if he was Billy's first act of kindness the party had seen. Maxine steps forwards to Lucas and holds his hand. She whispers something I can't hear, but Dustin can if his _'_ _I'm_ _gonna puke face'_ is any constellation. Lucas sighs and agrees to join in the attack.

Will and Steve are the only ones not it the group huddle.

" Ugh, I'm going to the toilet. Don't do anything stupid. I mean it." He points mainly at Maxine. She shrugs and directs him to the bathroom.

Will is still sat confused and contemplating. No one gets to do anything, anyhow, as Maxine's upbeat and sly nature disappears with the front door opening. Maxine puts a finger to her lips strictly. They all nod obediently. The ginger tip-toes out the room and shuts her door firmly. Will sneaks to the door and rests his ear against it.

He can hear a low man's voice speak,

"Max, are you having a sleep over." He can't hear a reply from Max, but he can hear Billy step up, saying,

"No, sir." An amused grunt seems to come from the father, he guesses. The dad's footsteps are heavy. They get to Maxine's door.

" Wait, Neil! I- I left my clothes and womanly stuff everywhere. P-please, let me clean up first." Maxine begs. Will doesn't hear anything for a while. Nothing other than heavy footsteps facing away from them now.

"Dear Max, hun." He calmly addresses. He can hear a gasp of surprise from Max. Will assumes has approaching her.

"What. Did. I . Say. About. Calling. Me. Neil?" His voice is far from light-hearted, calm or charming anymore. Billy's attempts to intervene sound futile as he's cut off by the deel-voiced man. There no noise. Silence all around. Until

_SLAP_

The sound of skin colliding fills the house with echos. Before anyone can blink, there's yelling from Billy most likely and thump to the ground. Maxine's soft whimpers are there too.

Will steps back and turns to his friends. Lucas eyes' are laced with anger. His fists are balls. He grabs his rocket launcher and takes strong steps out the door. He slams open the door, stance wide. Now Will can actually see what's happening. He peers around Lucas, meekly, seeing Neil on top of Billy...choking him?

The grown man releases his son and stands up facing Lucas. Sinclair readies his launcher in return. The man shakes his head and grins.

"So you're friends with the fags and niggas, now?" He directs that to Maxine, but glares at Lucas when he says _that_ _word_ _._ Lucas took a deep breath. Just like when he's aiming the launcher at randome things. Excpet now it's a homophobic, racist and an abuser. The black child fires and the rock lands right on Neil's right eye. He stumbles back a bit, but catches himself. He straightens his posture and breaks into a fit of laughs. There's now a scar on his eye. Will cowers behind Dustin and accepts the protective arm he sets in front of him.

He's heading for Lucas now except he gets thrown to the side by Billy. He has him under his grip, baring his teeth furiously. Neil soon broke out and grabbed Billy by the neck. He lifted his head up like he was a ragdoll and slammed his face into the side of a table until blood decorated his fingers and Billy's face. He left him, with redness dripping everywhere, and took one of his hands into his grip.

" Why don't you come here Maxine. Watch what happens when you _dare_ disobey me." He takes Maxine by the ear and forces her to watch him.

Neil takes Billy's pinky finger. He pushes it to the side. Forces the bone to snap. A crack floats amongst the silence. Now his finger lies restless to the side of his palm. Next his index. With both hands wrapped around it, he twists one of his hands right and the other left. There a quick snap, but Neil continues. Billy's screams of agony are choked by the lake of his blood, he's face down in.

His father grabs him, and puts him to his feet. Billy's breathing, but his eyes are blank between the blood dripping down him. Without a warning, Hargrove is hurled to the kitchen door. His weight blows the door open. By now Maxine is screaming in fear with some of the others too. Mike is begging El to make him stop. Eleven's shell-shocked and unresponsive. Will leaves Dustin's side and peers in from the kitchen door. He's not scared. Billy can get him. Hopefully. After closer look, Billy's right leg has snapped too. It's laying on the floor, to the side, facing upwards. His father crouches over him.

Neil's laying punch after punch on the guy's already dismantled face. Everytime he does, there's a disgusting noise from the blood sloshing around in the crook if Billy's neck. He can feel Billy's heartbeat. He doesn't know why. Or how. Nor does he care.

Billy's on the verge of death. Maxine's in the corner, in a ball, in a breakdown. Everyone is crying, or silent in fear. Will grins his teeth and snaps and pulls a wooden leg from chair off. He creeps Neil and raises the leg.

With eyes closed, he thwacks the leg across Niel's head, knocking him off Bill. Before Neil gets the chance, he rapidly grasps anything sharp from the cutlery. He passes it to the slouched guy whilst Neil gets to his knees. Billy crawls with his broken leg trailing behind. The knife, a butcher knife, swings to the elders neck, lodged in the side. Will can see alarm in Hargrove's eyes. He frantically shuffles away from Neil. The body falls backwards to Maxine's feet she screams and clambers up the drawers onto the desk. Maroon liquid spreads along the tiles and to Will's feet. Will's not afraid. Never was. He walks over to the breathless body. He steals the butcher knife and swiped down into the man's skull. Hasty footsteps are heard coming to the kitchen as Will instantly swivels his head to see who it was.

"I heard a screa- HOLY FUCK!" Between Billy being fully broken, Maxine in a ball with the tips of her hair stained with blood, and Will staring at him with a brain-stained butcher knife, he spins around and lets yesterday's lunch spill out in a thick, yellow pool.

Will, too, feels a sickness rides to his chest. Not from the body or Steve's accident either. It speeds to be thought then mouth. He makes panicked muffled noises and stumbled to the bathroom. He lets the foaming substance spill out of his mouth and as he's managing to not drown in the contents of his puke, he spies from the corner of his eye the concerning colour of his bile.

_B..blue? Green? Slimy?_

Pretty quickly, he realises it's not just vomit. A slug had grew inside him, slithered up his throat and spilled out of his jaw. Before he can even panic, more come through. Slug, after slug. A moldy substance has stuck and formed around his lips. His tounge is stained with this juice... The boy's in tears as his legs give up underneath him. His pupils have dilated and the whites of his eyes have turned a translucent blue too. His face is pale and his veins are a prominent black. He falls backwards and clutches his stomach.

_What's_ _happening_ _to_ _him?_


	2. Chapter 2 - burst

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will twisted his head to Hopper's large silhouette carrying someone and thrusting through the front door. Will let his hair cover his face as he was layed on what he assumed was a table by the way his legs hung off the edge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGERY FROM THE LINE 'down the driveway' to 'Just like home'. Please skip if you're sensitive to these things.

He pulled his head lazily from the sink, feeling around his bulging veins and drained eyes. He coughs for a while, but no slugs leave anymore. One's stuck, clinging to the top of his throat. He hisses in a deep breath then let's his finger dig to his gag reflex. After a couple of tries, the pungent creature comes sliding out, off of Will's tounge. He lets himself break off into a fit of violent coughs. Blood, ever so subtly mixed with the blu-ish liquid. He wipes the residue from his mouth when the door swings open.

"Will!" Dustin blurted. Will scolded him for not knocking.

"I-I did! You didn't hear me. W-what's going on?" The curly haired boy peered into the sink, and then to Will's disheveled face. He reaches a steady hand out.

"I'm fine." Will replies, in an unintentionally croaky and raspy voice. Dustin shakes his head and runs across all of the pulsating lines on his pale skin. Then his thumb, slides over to his face, over his thin cheeks, red nose and around his blank eyes. Before Will can protest, Dustin's helping him away from the sink and out the bathroom.

Mike is comforting El, Lucas is comforting Maxine and Steve is panicedly calling the police. The teen is nodding frantically and then slams the phone down.

"Ok, Billy, the ambulance is coming and-" Steve faces the pale and frail child. His eyebrows furrow whilst seemingly examining the Byers.

"Kid, are you feeling...normal?" Steve treads carefully with his words. Will shrugs and Dustin facepalms.

"Steve, look at him! Of course he isn't." Will winced from Dustin's sudden sharp voice. He comes close to Will and Dustin and kneels in front of them. Fake, or at least Will's convinced it is, pity rubs all over Harrington's face. He looks distant for a second. As if he were remembering something. His eyes widen and he races back to the phone.

Eleven scrubbed the remaining tears from her eyes and gets up to console her younger brother. Mike follows, holding her hand.

"Pale." She comments, shakily. Will chuckles and feels pulsating around his neck.

" W-what are we meant to do h-how?" He glances to the deteriorated male in the kitchen then to Steve. Harrington put the phone down clumsily and exhaled.

"Ok, Ok. Hopper, Joyce and an ambulance are on their way. I called Nance and John about Will. They're coming too." Will huffed at the idea of having ruined whatever peace his family finally had got.

"Do you feel dizzy?" Lucas consoled, mainly to Maxine, but partially to him too. The red-head curled up in Lucas' arms whilst not wanting to appear too weak. She slightly repositioned from her arched back and murmered an inaudible response. Her pupils seemed as small as the freckles on her cheeks.

"Will, go sit on the couch. I'll take your temperature." Steve suggested, more like softly ordered. Will didn't want to be patronized, but neither did he want to cause a fuss. Without protest, he took his smell self and crouched onto the couch. Steve knelt to his level and Byers tried not to retch at his fake empathy. He let his tounge plant on the roof of his mouth as the thermometer moved around his mouth.

The teen inspected the tube before his eyes curiosity diminished as he saw the mercury of the tube turn a murky turquoise. The glass shattered and spilt all over the couch.

"Shi- Shoot! What the fuck?" Steve jumped back. Will peered at the stained edge of the couch. The thick substance dripped off in long streams. El's eyes widened as she felt it.

" _It's_ _... It's... like from the...Upside Down._ " Eleven thoughts conveyed to Will. He nodded and sat up properly.

" _I_ _don't_ _know why it keeps happening..."_ Will gave her a soft look of discomfort.

"What're they doing?" Steve hissed to Dustin. Dustin lightly slapped his arm and told him to shut up.

" _It hurts...So much...Everywhere, my skin...."_ Will's eyes teared up and Mike ruffled his hair. El's nose began dripping blood. Mike hastily grabbed a tissue for her.

_BANG BANG BANG_

The door rattled and the handle shook violently. Steve sighed and jumped up to get it, repeatedly telling whoever it was to 'calm down'. He got the key off of the hanger on the wall and unlocked the door. Once he did, he was shoved to the side as will saw a blur running to him. Seeing them closer, it was Jonathan, with Nance trailing behind.

"Will, Will are you ok? Can you hear me?" His brother was panicking and holding tightly onto Will's frail hand. It was so small and gentle into Jonathan's larger and coarse ones.

"I'm s-sorry, Jon." Will whimpered. Jonathan shook his head and pulled the boy into a comforting hug.

"It was meant to be...yours and Nancy's time... I rui-" He croaked. Jonathan shushed him and continued to rub his back comfortingly. Carefully, he lifted they boy up and took a seat, laying Will's head on his lap.

"Are you gonna vomit?" Jonathan asked, concerned. Will chuckled and promised he wouldn't puke all over Jonny's new suit.

"I'm not worried about that, dummy." His older brother let out a soft laugh and rolled his eyes. Nancy was on the other side of the room comforting Max with Steve uselessly trying to help.

"Max, did Neil attack Billy?" Nancy calmed inquired. Will could barely he the people around him speaking as the voices mixed and turned in his head. The last thing he heard were ambulances down the driveway.

...

 _It's_ _suffocating everything here. Over time, his lungs_ _could_ _take_ _it. Leant to, rather. Coughing out the slimy substance_ _that_ _foamed to his lips, he lifted himself up and_ _adjusted_ _his eyes to_ _the_ _dark,_ _admiral_ _world. His feet took him_ _step_ _by step to a pulling_ _energy_ _. Unnerving him at every step. The shivers_ _soon_ _became_ _subdued_ _however the sickness in his stomach rose_ _to_ _his chest, thicking, growing. A_ _literally_ _pounding_ _tried_ _to_ _smash_ _throw_ _his muscles, ribs and skin. Lifting up his beige, cotton sweater_ _revealed_ _something_ _morphing_ _in_ _him_ _,_ _stretching_ _his skin. Sweat dripped over the bumps in_ _his_ _chest. Paler than the rest of his body_ _with_ _the black_ _marks_ _donned upon_ _it_ _. Flesh teared at the seam. A creature- living, moving- scraped at now bloodied coating of himself. His hazel eyes_ _could_ _only watch as it wriggled itself out of him. The long knobly arms laid claws on his sides and pushed,_ _excruciatingly_ _painfully. With it's twisted_ _torso_ _,_ _the_ _scales on it's back tainted him even more. It feels like he's right back there._ _Cold_ _,_ _dark_ _..._  
_He collapsed to his back as the beast had_ _clawed_ _out of his body. On the_ _ground_ _. Foul smelling_ _liquid_ _pooling around him._ _Trembling_ _. Cold...dark_

 _'_ _Just_ _like_ _home.'_

_...._

Will woke up, feeling slight bounces, but still lying down. His legs felt light and swung all over the place. Then the feeling in his torso returned as he took notice of two cold hands gripping it. His eyes parted open groggily with mocha brown hair bobbing into them.

"HOPPER OPEN THE DOOR!" A shrill voice ordered. Will twisted his head to Hopper's large silhouette carrying someone and thrusting through the front door. Will let his hair cover his face as he was layed on what he assumed was a table by the way his legs hung off the edge.

"Mom...Maa.." the boy muttered. His frail fingertips brush against someone. Whovever they were, they moved closer to him.

"Will! Buddy?" A recognizable voice lisped at him. Will blinked his eyes open properly and faced him.

"Dustin... what happened?" Will pouted and felt his forehead.

"You passed out. Long time. We were fucking freaked!" Dustin exclaimed in his overdramatic, Dustin-like behaviour. Will coughed out a giggle and Dustin stroked his inflamed cheeks. The smaller tried not to overthinkthe gesture, but he couldnt fight his urge to smile at Dust.

"So it's suuuuper cool to know you're not, y'know..." He drew a thumb across his neck and made a gagging noise. Byers left his hand gently hit Henderson's arm. He pulled his head back facing up. The ceiling was nice to stare at. A second to Dustin at least. Not too much to focus on. It stopped Will from hearing the frantic yells around him.

"Will? Honey!" Joyce swooped in on her child and began kissing him all over his face, which was annoying since she just came from a date and was now smearing her lipstick all over the youngest Byers. She cradled his chestnut hair and propped their foreheads together.

"I'm a-ok, mom." Will murmered. Joyce continued to mutter unintelligible worries and concerns despite his assurance.

"I l-love you, b-aby...You and Jonathan... you're m-y life. I can't bear see you like this. At all. You're my life, honey." She cried out. Will's lip quivered too. It was like back at the cabin. When she burnt the Flayer put of him. He sat up and pulled his elbows around her neck. She sobbed with short breaths whilst gripping onto her baby's back

"I love you, mommy." Will whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally got some Dustill in there! Lemme me know what're you thoughts on the story and don't be too shy to comment! Comments motivate me to release more chapters, so go ahead! Catch ya next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3: burst 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "BILLY! YOU'RE ALIVE!" Max screeched and sprinted towards him. She pounced on his broken body which caused him to scream hysterically and throw her off him.
> 
> "FUCKING MAX! J-Jesus watch yourself, shitbird." He hisses grabbing his stomach, eyes laced with tears.

Everyone had gone home, except from Billy and Max. Will could now get on his feet and limp around. He wobbled over to a beaten and bruised Billy on the couch. He sort of lingered around the arm of the couch and stared at the man.

"The hell're you doing?" He muttered through swollen lips. Will jumped a bit and shuffled closer to him.

"Do y-y-you want some water? Or warm milk?" Will hummed. The dirty blonde shook his curls. Will furrowed his brows and slumped down by Billy's feet.

"Where's Maxine... I need to take her home... Dad's gonna kill me..." He groaned. Will rose an eyebrow and turned his neck slightly to Billy.

"M-Max is with Hop...You remember what happened right?" Billy scoffed and put a hand on his head.

"Fuck no. I've got a massive hangover. Jesus, who are you?" He sat up and squinted his eyes at the boy by his legs. Will was about to nervously answer, but his tone door opened, sparing him from this awkward explanation. It was Hopper and Max who just came back from the station.

"BILLY! YOU'RE ALIVE!" Max screeched and sprinted towards him. She pounced on his broken body which caused him to scream hysterically and throw her off him.

"FUCKING MAX! J-Jesus watch yourself, shitbird." He hisses grabbing his stomach, eyes laced with tears.  


"Ah, yeah! S-sorry, bout that." The ginger muttered, kneeling next to her step-brother. Hop glared at him intuitively and placed the back of his hand on Billy's forehead.

"You're on fucking fire, kid." Hopper muttered. Billy rolled his eyes,

"It's the hangover. Now if you don't mind, whoever the hell you are, I _need_ to get Maxine home. My dad's gonna fucking-" Billy clenched his jaw and swallowed, not finishing his sentence. He tried to pull himself up, but Hopper gently knocked him back down.

"I don't know what's happening in your head, bucko, but your dad... You dad's gone." Hop looked at the teen sincerely. Billy scoffed,

"No he's not. Max, if this is a dumb prank you and your friends are playing to make me look dumb, it ai-"

"Not a prank. He's gone..." The soft, almost whisper came from El. She stood in the doorway with a bloody tissue. The dirty-blonde's eyes widened, and he began to panic.

"Stop it. Stop fucking with me. He's not fucking dead! He can't be! I-I promised mo-"

"BILLY! HE. IS GONE. It's over..." Max exclaimed. Her brother stared at her like he was gonna leap over and throttle the girl. He didn't, thankfully. He finally sat up without Hop stopping him. He put his face in his hands and let his strands of matter hair obscure his face.

"Just go. All of you. Leave me be."His voice cracked in agony. Max's eyes became full of it too. She approached him, but he shook his head and reinstated she leave. Eleven jerked her head to her and Will's bedroom, and Max complied. Hopper claimed he needed to finish the paperwork at the station and head out the front door. As he left, Jonathan and Joyce walked in.

"Oh, sweetheart you must be Billy, right?" Joyce dropped her plastic grocery bags and fussed over the solemn boy.

"M'aam, I appreciate it, but please leave me to my thoughts." He asked without even looking at her. Joyce nodded and directed herself and her groceries to the kitchen. Jonathan helped mom put the bags away and came sat besides Billy, with a bowl if cereal.

"Want some?" He offered, his mouth still crunching and full of food.

"Can you please go?" Billy asked, exasperated. Jonathan shook his head and laid back onto the couch.

"S'my couch." Jonathan replied. Will furrowed his brows and shuffled closer to his brother.

"It's mom's." Will reassured. Jonathan shrugged and continued to eat his cereal. Will looked at the boy in despair and sighed. Then, to Billy. A lightbulb flickered in his head.

 _Oh, sweetie. Whenever_ _I'm_ _ill, your_ _kisses_ _make me feel 100x_ _better_ _than any_ _antibiotics_ _do_ _._

His mother's voice echoed. He's not sure that theory has a lot of evidence behind it, but what harm could it do? So, Will got on his tip toes, looking at the miserable man for a bit. Tilting to the side, he kissed a big bruise on his cheek. Billy stared at him like he was insane. Come to think of it, so was Jonathan.

"Dear Christ, Will, come 'ere. Jonathan pulled him away. Billy looked like he was gonna scream at Will, but Will knew Jon would do worse back.

"Sorry, I thought, it was stupid, my mom normally says, but you're not her. I-I just wanted you to feel better. Please don't yell at me." He spat out, hastily and nervously. Billy looked at him with blank eyes for a seeming eternity, 10 seconds or so, before opening his bruised mouth.

"I guess I feel a tiny bit better." He uttered before laying down and curling up to sleep. Will beamed and gave a knowing smirk to his brother.

"Hah, sor-ry. I won't interfere with the doctor again." He chuckled. Will grinned and kissed Jon on the cheek too.

...

Weeks later, Billy and Max had gone to the police station with Hop to get their living/custody situation figured out. Billy was awfully quiet the whole ride. The only thing he actually said was,

"Jesus, Max, when the hell'd you go to bed." Max rolled her eyes, ignoring Billy's question. Once they got there, Hopper escorted the pair to his office and sat them down.

"Ok, I'm just gonna ask you a few questions to get this sorted out ok." The ginger nodded, anticipatory whilst Billy gave Hop his dead eyes and smileless lips.

"Ok. Billy Hargrove please state your date of birth."

"2nd August, 1967."

"And Max?"

"25th January, 1971"

"Ok, Billy could you confirm for us your full name?" Billy glared at Hopper and tightened his grip on his leg.

"William Neil Hargrove...happy fucker?" He whispered the last part.

"And Max?"

"Maxine Sam Mayfield."

"Your _full_ name Maxine." Hopper repeated. She sighed.

"Maxine Sam Mayfield-.....hargrove."

"Max, when did your mother marry Billy's father?"

"19th June. 1982. Around a year or so."

"Perfect. Now just hang on. I'm gonna ask some potentially touchy questions. You ain't gotta answer them, but it sure would help of ya would." None of the two replied. Hopper exhaled and murmered a 'peachy' under his breath.

"Billy Hargrove, how long has your father been physically abusing you?"

"Since I could speak." He chuckled.

"I need a proper response, sir."

"Ugh, fine. Since 4, yeah. Around that time."

"Ok...did you have a mother gr-" Hop began.

"Pass." Billy stated, probably the most passive aggressive Max had seen him.

"That's ok. Max. How long have you known Neil was hurting Billy."

"Uhh...um I mean. I don't think there was I time I knew. He never hurt me, so I, uh, uh... I can't remember. Wait, what was the question?" Max stuttered and stumbled over her words incoherently.

"But you did know at a point?" It was more of a statement Hopper made, glancing between the two. Max nodded shamefully. The Chief rested his clipboard and pen on the desk, folded his arms and leaned forwards.

"Then why didn't you tell anyone sooner?" Hopper realised how unfair this was to ask to a child, but if Max is going to be in Billy's care, it's a necessary question.

Max stayed silent. Her eyes shyed away from either man looking at her. She felt her bottom lip tremble pathetically.

"She's a fucking kid, Christ! What? You think she has some kind of sadistic agenda against me?" Billy answered for her. Hop glanced at him with a look screaming 'shut your pie-hole or you're getting arrested right here, right now'.

"I..I...I thought...he..." Max rubbed at her eyes and let Hopper gingerly tap her hand.

"I thought he deserved it..." She whimpered - almost silently. Billy turned to her with visible betrayal and slight hurt on his face.

"I-I-I was just s-so...so angry a-at him. I thought it was s-some s-sort of k-k-karma..." Max completely buried her face on the table, and she used her arms as a protective fence.

"Maxine. Is there anything you'd like to say to Billy?" Hopper finally questioned after a bit of quiet. She gradually hoisted her head off of the table and craned her neck to him.

"I am s-so... so sorry. I never wanted i-it to e-ever get t-t-this far..." Her voice broke whilst glancing at each bruise Neil had left, but she had caused.

"I k-k-know you think I-I'm a w-w-worthless shitbird, and I don't blame you. I don't b-blame you if you don't wa-wanna look a-a-after me either. I d-d-don't deserve it, j-j-just put me up for a-a-adoption and live....live your life." Maxine was clearly in tears now. Her hands were wedged together between her crossed legs. The room felt empty, yet full of tension at the same time.

"Billy, do you have a job?"

"Yeah, I work as a lifeguard at the indoor pool near Chandelbeats road, but, Christ, I can't afford food and bills on my own." He sighed, but mentioning anything that pertained to Max's statement.

"What if I said, I know a place where you don't have to worry about bills?" Hopper offered in a low voice.

"I'd seriously consider you linkings to the government and assumed You're gonna assinate me in my sleep.." The dirty-blonde half-joked. He rose and eyebrow at Hopper when the man laid back and chuckled.

"Hah, quite the opposite. It's a long, long story, and I'm not here to waste your time. Anyway, I can let you stay there, but you're gonna have to let go of any past grievances with Max." Hop folded his hands on the table and jerked his head at the now confused girl. Billy looked at her for a minute, refusing to let his emotions spill on his face again. Soon, he gave the tiniest hint of a smile, turned away and said,

"I never thought of leaving you behind and you know that, shitbird." He stated. Max looked at him incredibly. Her surprised face morphed into unbelievable relief and happiness. She launched onto Billy and squeezed the boy around his torso tightly.

"Ok, ok, asswipe, get off of me." Billy really couldn't contain the laughter in his voice whilst prying Maxine off him.

"Ok. Here's the address to the cabin. It'll need a little bit if reorganizing, yet I'm sure you can handle it." Hopper slid them a small scrap of paper across the table. Billy opened his mouth, but Hop dismissed him with a flick of his hand.

"Don't tell me thank you. Show me, by looking after her." He advised. The elder of the two nodded. They all got up and Hopper escorted the two back their car. Once Max and Billy were in the car, they took one small glance at each other. This was their new beginning...  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eyyy wonder twins am I right? Anyway I'm gonna get back to Will's story because I love my bby so much. Also Will's get better kisses are the closest thing to heaven on earth, try and change my mind. 
> 
> Don't forget, comments and kudos really motivate me to release more chapters quicker! (Cuz I'm a lazy ass bitch)
> 
> Don't be shy and ask questions!

**Author's Note:**

> Like I said this is a republish because I foolishly lost the other fic. Oops. Project 2-25-5-18-19 is also a series I've began animating on YouTube. It plays out a little differently, but have the same overall plot. You can check EP 1 out here: https://youtu.be/MLVQNIIVfqg Tell me if you like it! EP 2 is coming soon.


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